The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-03-02


ing the worst cases under her fathers
care, more than once ending her duty
by dressing the still form of dearly
loved friend for the grave.
Her father guarded her by prevent
ives and precautions as far as possible,
but he never stopped her.
"She is doing the work of her Heav-
enly Father; he will protect her." was
his answer to some few friendly re-
monstrances, and for a long time it
seemed as if the maiden bore indeed
charmed life.
The fever had run its course, when,
in September, cool, wet week broke
the oppressive heat, and no new cases
occurred afterward except one. But
ah, that one tore the Doctors heart
strings more than all the rest, for in
her room, tossing in delirious agony,
May called pitifully for the father she
did not recognize, the lover, absent
from her, the friends gone from earth
forever. Over and over again she lived
the painful scenes of the past few
weeks, and Mrs. Wells, her faithful
nurse, knew she stood very near the
grave for many long days.
May did not know when Mark Pendle-
ton was sent for and admitted to the
darkened room, for what they feared
was last gaze at his promised wife;
she did not know when all the glorious
profusion of her golden hair was shorn
off, TO place badders of ice upon her
head; she knew nothing for many,
many days, till, waking from a long,
deep sleep, she saw, with clear, compre-
l. L. c,.l s. e., H.,
over her.
She smiled, wondering where her
voice had gone, as she said, family:
" Father!"
And he, softly kissing her eyelids, as
they closed again, only murmured:
"Thank God! my child is spared to
me-"
There was long convalescence, and
after May could sit up and be dressed
she wondered where her mirror and
hand-gass had vanished. Mrs. Wells
muttered something about Eliza's so
careless, always breaking something;
and her father called her " little van
ity," with a quivering smile, when she
asked for them.
Even when Mark came, as he did
several times, Mrs. Wells dressed her,
tied on the lace cap that covered her
poor, bald head, and said sick folks
weren't expected to pink"
But one day, when she felt nearly
well, she stole down to the stting-room
alone, and looked full in the mirror
over the mantlepiece.
She knew then why she had been so
tenderly guarded from the shock of
seeing her own face. A border of fluted
lace replaced her splendid hair, and
uniform deep pink color was spread
like a mask over her whole face. Her
eyes were sunken, and a strange, I'M
natural ugliness seemed to have usurped
her own beauty. Covering her face
she wept bitter, unavailing tears.
She had been innocently proud of
her lovely face, and Mark had loved it,
Even in her first grief she thought
most of her lover, sobbing his name
till, as if in answer, he bent over her.
MAY" he said, +" do not grieve so.
1t is only your beauty that is gone. The
best of you is here, little May"
She looked up, saying:
" You had better call me Mary Jane
now. 1t suits my face better"
" | want to call you Mrs. Pendleton,
as soon as possible" he replied, gaily.
" Mark! You would not marry such
sight?"
"Just try me! Why, May" he
added, gravely, "you surely do not i'm
agine this change in your face shakes
my love. Suppose this fever lad come
after we were married, do you suppose
| should have run away?'
You would have been forced to
submit then, l suppose" she said, very
dolefully. "Now you can escape"
"Thanks! / am very well content
in my present bondage, | assure you"
And he proved the fact by urging an
immediate wedding. The doctor smiled
when May made some wandering COM
ments, saying: " should be sorry to
think Mark loved only your beauty, my
daughter"
And the old man INDUCED in most
unusual chuckle, as if immensely
amused by some thought of his own.
But the wedding was once more post
poned by Mark himself. His brother
in New Orleans died suddenly, and the
widow needed some one to look after
the property. So the winter glided
away, and April opened, when dis
patch announced Marks speedy re-
turn, and preparations for the wedding
were fastened in earnest.
The doctor met Mr.. Pendleton at the
station, and drove him to the house,
assuring him that the day they had
previously selected for the marriage,
the 18th, would now meet his engage
ments exactly.
{" But that is this evening"
Exactly l will postpone tiff you
wish"
CT! No, indeed! But you must
give me chance to dress"
You have three hours. 1t is now
five. My friends will assemble at eight
You are my guest"
May was invisible while Mark ate his
supper, and he was escorted to the
spare room, where his trunk stood open
and every comfort was ready for his
toilet.
But a tall, slender, white-robed fig
ure, with long lace veil, waited, lean
ing upon DIR. Trask's arm, when the
bridegroom was ready, and slowly adj
vanced with him into the drawing-room
filled with friends. The solemn words
were spoken that made May his own,
and then the bridesmaids gently lifted
the veil, and Mark saw his wife.
His Nav fairer than ever stood he